Any DC3's for hire?

[youngskywalker]

I have a long ambition to fly a DC3 Dakota, even just the once to stick it in the log book!

Anybody know of any in the States/Canada or indeed anywhere where I can get a shot with an instructor/pilot? And if so how much would the privelidge likely cost?

Thanks

YS

P.S I was born in the wrong era...

[slim_slag]

Plenty of links http://www.centercomp.com/dc3/flights_index.htm. Type ratings available if you have a few thousand US$ spare, they had one in Phoenix when I lived there, should have gone for it when I had the opportunity.

[youngskywalker]

Thanks, I'll check them out. probably just want an hour just to say ive done it! But if I ever have spare cash then a type rating would be fun!

[stiknruda]

I have over 20 hours in the RHS of a DC3 and a couple in the LHS- great fun!!

No intercom so we transmitted over the VHF radio to speak to each other!

After a long day dropping maize-meal into hacked out bush strips in a faraway war-torn land, I was invited to fly us back to our forwrd operating base from the LHS by the outfit's training Captain - what an honour! Take off unladen was sprightly and I climbed up to 2200'.

As we settled down into the 1h40 cruise, I began to relax - I slid/wound the dv window back and began to enjoy the warm late afternoon breeze. I looked over at the Captain, with his seat back he was looking at a top shelf magazine and I realised that this was one of those "ever so cool" moments. Me in charge of a DC3, wafting along at at 130mph almost half a mile above the African bush.

Without warning the aircraft began to climb, initially slowly then at a greater rate with the ensuing decelleration. The Captain looked across at me and said, "Altitude, eh - we're cleared at 22 not 25, fix it!"

Feeling a little chastised I pressed the column fwd and needed to retrim to overcome the force. Within a couple of minutes, we were back at 2200' and 130mph. I began to relax and my elbow found its way to the window sill again.... I really wished that I smoked for this was that "Marlboro moment".

My reverie was shattered once again as the Dak began to nose over into the descent and I caught the ASI needle rotating clockwise. I immediately pulled on the control column and tried to restore the magic 2200'/130mph before being soundly bollocked by the Captain. I almost succeeded but he looked at me with such disdain and said, "I thought that you could fly! You can't even hold a bloody altitude. Do better or you won't be flying with me again!"

After about five minutes of hard silence, with the aircraft straight and level, I glanced to the training Captain who was regarding my with cold dispassion. My peripheral vision registered that his left hand was gesticulating - as the only other person on board was the load-master, I turned around in my seat to watch him leave the jump seat just behind mine and start running to the tail of the aircraft. I immediately started to roll in fwd trim and the aircraft remained straight and level.

The loadie realised that I'd sussed what they were doing: everytime that I began to relax and enjoy the proceedings, the training Captain either sent him to the tail or brought him forward. One bloke's weight was all it needed to seriously upset the trim and have the aircraft climbing or diving.

It stopped me from being too cocky!

The training Captain died in an horrific aircraft accident a few months later but I will never forget that flight with him. Good times!! RIP John

[wingman863]

It would be really cool to fly a DC-3. They make a beautiful sound and with a little imagination, I could be flying over Normandy just about to give the green light to the men in the back... A dream I am fairly sure will never come true.

[QDMQDMQDM]

What a great story, Stik. Even the wife laughed and that's no mean feat when it comes to aircraft.

QDM

[spitfire]

These guys operate a DC-3, and hold a very comprehensive ground school every year, and you can do flight training in it as well.
http://www.prairieaviationmuseum.org/dc3/training.htm

Also, Basler Flight Services in Oshkosh, WI convert DC-3s to turbines, and do flight training for their turbine customers. It might be worth asking them if they can train you too.

[javelin]

Dreamflight operate a DC3 called The Rose at Corona in California. I contacted them last year about a couple of us doing some time and they were very friendly. Circumstances changed and we didn't go but it is still high on the list.

http://www.vintageflight.com/Training4.htm

[Dan Dare]

UK fliers could take a wad of money to Air Antique (http://www.airatlantique.co.uk/) Classic Flight in coventry. No idea how much wad would be required though.

If you've just had a big bonus, wht no buy one: -
ex South Coast Airways (http://www.southcoastairways.com/) Dak for sale. Not as expensive as you'd think...

[MEON VALLEY FLYER]

ref: G-DAKK. It's not actually cheep comp.to USprices and have all the bills been paid on it. Or is it likely to be seized if you set foot at Hurn or even Popham.

[Confabulous]

Even more interesting are the Dak pilot notes on the site!

[Confabulous]

And since I can't edit my last post, great memory Stik - shades of Ernie Gann :cool: :E

[CrashLander]

A couple of years ago, I was in Venezuela and booked a flight from Caracas down to the Angel Falls. Four of us paid $50 each for the flight from Puerto ODaz to Canaima camp for the Falls and flew down in a DC-3. This was off-season and there was nobody else on the flight, so I got to fly it all the way down and then back a couple of days later - the crew stayed and waited for us as there were no other passengers! The captain wouldn't let me land it though - still, not bad for 200 bucks. The Avgas was only around 6 or 7 pence per litre, so the 100 US gallons per hour is pretty cheap flying. I would imagine that you could pull some kind of deal to do some actual instruction on a Dc-3 far more cheaply than anywhere else - after all Servivensa still use them widely around Venezuela so they need to do conversions onto type.